And yet he smiles upon us in his grace. Our glad hearts thrill, and say, "He is not far away." His love streams round us like the sunrise ray; JUSTICE. Yet ever the same is the reaping As the seed that was strewn abroad; Some gather the harvest with weeping, Some in gladness receive the reward. -As Ye Sow Ye Shall Reap. SEA. Throb on, O Sea, in solemn woe, Of changing tides, whose waves upstart PAST. Throb on, O Sea. Oh! for the years to live again — And wisdom's lessons learn! -Departing Das. FRIENDSHIP. With wisdom's words I have not power, And yet some tribute I would bring; If not a gem, at least a flower, Which bears the freshness of the spring. -Friendship's Token. VIOLETS. Oh! sweet are summer roses; Felt half the joyful thrill To gather summer roses, As violets, by the rill? The modest azure violets, Sweet daughters of the spring; What memories of childhood Those little blossoms bring! -Violets. JA JAMES B. KENYON. AMES BENJAMIN KENYON was born at Frankfort, Herkimer County, N. Y., April 26, 1858. His boyhood was passed amid the delightful scenery of the Mohawk Valley. The high hills, wooded from base to crown, with intervals of grain fields and pasture-lands, and the fertile valley with the Mohawk winding through, were all indelibly stamped on the mind of the poet. And now, when he describes a landscape in his poems, it is from memory, and he paints in words some picture of the Mohawk Valley. Mr. Kenyon graduated from the Hungerford Collegiate Institute, at Adams, in New York state, July 2, 1874. For three seasons following he taught in the common schools. In April, 1878, being just twenty years old, he entered the ministry of the Methodist Episcopal Church. With the exception of two years spent in New York City as manager of a lecture bureau, Mr. Kenyon has been in the pastorate since the time when he first received a license to preach. He has been successful in the pulpit, having rapidly risen from the poorest to the best appointments in his Conference. He usually preaches without notes and his manner and matter are impressive and admirable. He is highly esteemed at Watertown, N. Y., where he is now preaching. Mr. Kenyon has published four volumes of poems, the first volume appearing when he was only sixteen years of age. It should be a warning to all young aspirants to literary honors that every poet who has issued a volume of poems before he attained his majority has invariably regretted it. Mr. Kenyon is no exception to this rule. The title of his first book was " The Fallen, and Other Poems." It was published at Utica. "Out of the Shadows" followed in 1880, "Songs in All Seasons," in 1885, "In Realms of Gold," in 1887. Mr. Kenyon has been a contributor to the Atlantic Monthly, The Century, Lippincott's, Manhattan, and American magazines, and to Outing, The Current, and other publications. He was married January 2, 1878, to Margaret Jane Taylor, a lady of sterling Scotch ancestry, and they have two children, a boy and a girl. Socially he attracts much attention by his manner and intellectual attainments. Mr. Kenyon is of medium height and fair complexion. He has a broad, high forehead, sensitive lips, and a somewhat square chin. The poet in him is greater than the preacher, however great the preacher may be. On Poetry he has set his heart, and if he be as faithful to her in the future as he has been in the past, clinging to her through all vicissitudes, I shall not doubt that she will lead him to even higher honors than he has yet won. H. A. PAN. I'LL seek him yet: in some warm nook He will not hear me, though I press A MAID OF SICILY. SHE heard the waves creep up the sand; Girt lightly round her perfect form, And clasped beneath her bosom warm Which like twin lilies shone. The dew gleamed on her sandalled feet; Her clinging robe around her trailed; Her eyes with morning light were sweet; And on her brow, that flushed and paled, As love and fear passed o'er her face, Was throned a rare and virgin grace, Such as earth's dawn first hailed. Her face was seaward turned; her eyes She saw the level sunrays burn Along the midsea's heaving breast; She saw the circling heavens spurn The utmost billow's tossing crest Where, on the blue horizon's rim, A galley's sails rose, white and dim, And all her blood leaped with unrest. She knows that sail; love's eyes are keen; She knows yon dancing bark is his; From distant coasts where he has been, From Cyprus, Tyre, and Tripolis, Her lover brings the alien freight She prizes not; to those who wait More precious is love's first warm kiss. He homeward brings the costly dyes The Romans love, and nard, and myrrh, And unguents which the Emperor buys, And silks, and spice, and fruits which were Sun-steeped on far Phoenician hills; But not of these she recks; love fills Alone the happy heart of her. So let her watch, while clearer rise The sails which she has waited long; The sun climbs higher up the skies; The sea-wind greets her, salt and strong; Her robe from one white shoulder slips; Her breast is bare; and from her lips Half tremble little waifs of song. SHE CAME AND WENT. SHE came and went, as comes and goes The dewdrop on the morning rose, Or as the tender lights that die At shut of day along the sky. Her coming made the dawn more bright Her going brought the somber night; Her coming made the blossoms shine, Her going made them droop and pine. Where'er her twinking feet did pass, He stands before her white and fierce; His bosom with swift passion shakes; His burning vision seeks to pierce Her very soul; he pleads; he wakes Within her heart a wild desire, That flames and mounts like sudden fire. A subtle glance, a whispered word, A waving of her perfumed hand, He feels his secret prayer is heard That she will know and understand; The queen is hid, and for a space A love-swayed woman holds her place. He bows, he leans toward the throne; He hears the love she dares not speak; What though the surging hundreds press? No eye shall see her swift caress. Let him beware; he toys with fate; Shall change eftsoons; then every kiss She gives him with her fickle breath Shall be surcharged with secret death. VANISHED. It was but yesterday I saw his sheep, And mock the echoes from yon rocky steep; 'Twas yesterday I found him fast asleep, His flock forgot and wantoning in the mead, His pipe flung lightly by with idle heed, And shadows lying round him, cool and deep. But though I seek I shall not find him more, In dewy valley or on grassy height; I listen for his piping-it is o'er, From out mine ears gone is the music quite There on the hill the sheep feed as before, But Pan, alas, has vanished from my sight! IF IT WERE. LOVE, that thou lov'st me not, too well I know; The silent meaning of a heavy woe, |